A Sad Mommy
by rain927
Summary: Gail Godwin's short story, "A Sorrowful Woman", written from the point of view of the woman's three-year-old son. Intentional choppiness and grammar mistakes to stay in character and get in the mind of the young narrator. Rated for upsetting ideas.


A Sad Mommy

Mommy looks sad. I wonder why. So, tonight, Daddy tucks me into bed. He reads me the story about the monkey, my favorite. I'm almost asleep when he finishes. As he leaves, I ask why Mommy didn't read to me tonight.

"Mommy doesn't feel good, son," he said.

"Oh. Well, I hope she's better in the morning. Good night Daddy."

The next night, I'm watching her put away dishes, like I always do. Daddy's asleep in his chair in the living room. Mommy starts yelling, and sounds like she's gonna puke! Daddy wakes up real fast and carries her to their room. I'm not allowed to go in there without permission, but I follow them anyway, and try to tell Mommy that it was going to be okay, but she just screams louder. Daddy says she's sick, and tells me to go to my room. I'm scared, so I run and hide under my bed.

Daddy and I go on a long walk in the park today. It's really cold outside, so I get to wear my new red hat and mittens. On our walk, I see a bird that matches my mittens. When we get back, Mommy's still in bed, even though it's already really bright out.

After we get back, Daddy makes Mommy dinner. But, he lets me help him make it. I accidentally drop a piece of celery into the bowl of black bean soup, and me and Daddy both laugh. I sure am glad he didn't make me eat that yucky dinner! I have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He makes her a big drink too. It kinda looks like pop, but it smells awful! I get to have milk.

Daddy tucks me in again tonight, puts me into my favorite fire truck pajamas and reads me "Where the Wild Things Are". I growl and try to crawl around on the bed.

Daddy looks tired. "Yes, son, I know you're a wild thing. But it's time for this wild thing to go to bed."

"Okay Daddy. Night night."

* * *

Mommy is up today! I'm so excited to see her. I follow her around, showing her what a mean, vicious, wild tiger I am. I growl and scratch at her legs. See what a good tiger I am Mommy?

I accidentally scratch her wrist. I think I made her bleed. She runs upstairs, into her bedroom, screaming as she goes. I didn't mean to hurt her. I was just being a tiger. I run and hide in my closet. Soon, I hear the baby-sitter come in. Why is she here? She usually only comes at night, and never when Mommy or Daddy is home. She finds me in the closet, and tries to get me to come out, but I don't want to. Finally, she promises me a cookie, so I come out, and then we play with blocks in the living room.

* * *

We're having chicken for dinner tonight. I like chicken. I growl as I eat the chicken, tearing it apart with my ferocious teeth. I throw a handful of peas on the table. I hate peas! Then, I feel something hit my head. Mommy slapped me! I jump out of my chair, yelling and crying, and run to hide in the bathtub.

* * *

A few weeks ago, Daddy brought home a new girl. He says she's going to help us around the house until Mommy feels better, but he didn't know when that would be. Her name is Brenda. At first I was scared, but now I like her. Brenda says that if I'm good and eat all my vegetables, we can get married when I grow up. Then we could be best friends forever!

Brenda painted the extra room downstairs and put pictures that she painted up on the walls. She even let me paint one once! She makes me lunch and dinner, and helps Mommy and Daddy, and is always nice and funny. When it's warm enough, we race to the mail box after lunch. Today, I won! Everyday, once after we race to the mailbox and once right before bedtime, she takes me into Mommy's room to tell Mommy about my day. Sometimes, Mommy and Daddy go out at night; then, me and Brenda watch movies.

* * *

Daddy says Brenda isn't coming back.

Yesterday, when we were playing outside, I found a bug. I chased it all around the yard, until I finally caught it. I wanted to go show Mommy. Brenda took me upstairs and told Mommy I had a surprise for her. I was very excited. I put it in her hand. But then, she screamed and let my bug escape. Brenda went over and picked it up and took me back downstairs.

Today, when Brenda came, Mommy told her that she couldn't come back anymore. Brenda yelled and cried. That made me very sad. Brenda took down her pictures and left. I hope I get to see her again someday.

* * *

Mommy doesn't leave her room much anymore. Daddy does all the cooking and cleaning. He takes me to school and puts me to bed. But tonight, Daddy has fallen asleep on my bed. Even though Daddy has told me not to bother Mommy, I go into her room to ask for help.

Mommy gets up and wakes Daddy up, and then takes him back to bed. It must be past Daddy's bedtime.

* * *

Mommy is moving her things into the room Brenda painted today. Maybe Mommy will start acting like Brenda, and be happy again.

* * *

Now, I only see Mommy once a day, before I go to bed. We knock on the door before we go in, like going to a stranger's house. I don't think she's getting any happier. Every night, I give her a kiss. But today, when I give her a kiss, she starts to look sick. I hope I haven't hurt Mommy again.

* * *

Daddy says Mommy is feeling bad again, and she's too sick to see me. But I can hear Mommy in the room, and she doesn't sound sick. I never hear her cough or sneeze. Maybe Mommy just doesn't like me anymore because of when I was a tiger. I didn't mean to hurt her, I just wanted to show her what a good tiger I could be.

Now we just put notes under her door. Well, Daddy puts a note. I draw a picture, or sometimes paint. Last week, I drew a picture of a tiger saying "I'm sorry". Yesterday, there wasn't enough time to draw anything. Daddy was very tired when he picked me up from school, so we had to go to bed early. But today, I'll put a nice, pretty one, showing her all the fun I had at school today. We played duck, duck, goose and talked about our families.

* * *

Me and Daddy get home and find a bunch of stuff on the kitchen table. There's bread, pies, some of my favorite custard, ham, a turkey, clean sheets and towels, fresh shirts, and two sweaters she knitted us. I pick up the pictures she painted that are also on the table. I didn't know Mommy painted. They are of great monsters, and all kinds of animals. There are some other papers nearby. I think those papers are for Daddy.

Daddy runs into the room Mommy had been staying in, Brenda's room, without knocking. He's going to get in trouble. Mommy is lying with her head on her desk. She must be sleepy after all this work. Daddy pulls at her eyelids, lays his head on her chest, and holds her wrist. He must be trying to wake her up. I'm sure she'll wake up soon, then we can enjoy all these wonderful things she's done for us.

"Daddy, can we eat the turkey for supper?"


End file.
